Babies&#39; pants



Dec. 24, 1968 MURDOCH 3,417,751

BABIES PANTS Filed Aug. 26. 1966 l2 I 0 flyi Inventor N L- MURDOCH By v Attorneys United States Patent Ofiice 3,417,751 BABIES PANTS Ian Lindsay Murdoch, London, England, assignor to Bowater-Scott Corporation Limited, London, England, a corporation of Great Britain Filed Aug. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 575,444 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 26, 1966,

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-287) The present invention relates to waterproof pants particularly for babies and designed specifically for use with a disposable absorbent wad or insert. Such pants generally comprise a sheet or sheets of waterproof material forming a front portion and a rear portion joined by a crutch portion, the crutch portion being adapted to hold an absorbent wad when the pants are secured in place on a baby. Pants of this type generally have adjustable fastening means for holding together the front and rear portions so that the same pants may be fitted onto babies of different sizes.

According to the present invention, in pants of the type described, there are provided readily compressible pads fitted within sleeves of waterproof material extending along thev margins of the cnutch portions, and elastic means extending along the outer side of the pads and adapted to hold the pads closely around the wearers thighs.

The pads are preferably formed of spongy rubber-type or plastic material, and may be discontinuous so as to fit closely around the curved surface of the babys thigh.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one embodiment will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an unfolded pair of pants according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged cross-section on lines I-I of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a detail of one of the sponge-like pads.

The pants according to this invention are formed of inner and outer sheets 10, 11 of waterproof material, shaped as shown, and sealed together around their outer edges 12. The pants comprise a rear portion A, a crutch portion'qB, and a front portion C. Fastening means are provided such as press studs 14 on the inside of the rear portion which correspond with sockets 15 on the outside of the front portion. When the pants are in place on a wearer the crutch portion B is adapted to hold an absorbent pad.

Near to, and parallel with, the curved margins of the crutch portion, the inner and outer sheets are sealed together along the joints 17. Between these joints 17 and the outer edge joints 12, the outer sheet is separated from the inner sheet which forms the inner covering of curved sleeves extending along the margins of the crutch portion and adapted to receive pads 18 in the form of readily compressible strips. The preferred material for these pads is polyurethane foam.

The portions of the outer sheet which form the outer coverings of the pads are provided with narrow sleeves which accommodate elastic strips 20. The ends of the 3,417,751 Patented Dec. 24, 1968 elastic strips 20 are fastened at points 21 and 22 in the rear and front portions of the pants respectively. The elastic strips, when untensioned, reduce the length of the marginal edges to about one half of that indicated in the drawing, which shows the stretched condition.

The arrangement and dimensions of the pants and particularly of the pads 18 and the elastic strips 20 are such that when the pants are fitted onto a wearer such as a baby with suitable adjustment of the fastening means, the pads 18 are held around the babys thighs by the elastic sufficiently firmly to provide a substantially liquid-proof seal, but not so tightly as to cause discomfort.

In order to allow the pads 18 .to fit closely around a babys thigh, the pads are preferably discontinuous, being sectioned or partially sectioned. One manner in which the pads may be partially sectioned is illustrated in FIG. 3, which shows a side view of a pad which is' partially cut through on the outer surface by lateral cuts 25. A pad cut in this way can be bent in a tight curve without 'bunching. Such lateral cuts may be made in the foam strip material from which the pad is formed by passing the strip material over a roller fitted with sharp blades. Alternatively, the foam material may be moulded so as to include such discontinuities.

In an alternative form of pad not shown, a plurality of individual sections of readily compressible material are joined on the outer faces by a strip of backing mate rial stuck on to the juxtaposed sections.

I claim:

1. Waterproof pants comprising a main sheet of water-v proof material having a front portion, a rear portion, and a disposable wad holding crutch portion joining the front portion and the rear portion; fastening means for holding together the said front and rear portions whereby the pants may be secured in place on a wearer; sleeves of waterproof material extending along the sidemargins of the said crutch portion; readily compressible pads fitted within the said margins; and elastic means extending along the outside of the said pads.

2. Pants according to claim 1, in which the said sleeves each have an outside cover which is a continuation of the said main sheet of waterproof material, and further comprising a narrow sleeve extending along each of said outside covers which accommodates the said elastic means.

3. Pants according toclaim 1, in which the said pads are of discontinuous form.

References Cited 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,468,445 4/1949 Hurst 128-287 2,545,674 3/1951 Ralph 128-287 2,832,346 4/1958 Morstad 128-287 3,039,466 6/1962 Wilson 128-287 3,081,772 3/1963 Brooks et al 128-287 FOREIGN PATENTS 667,483 3/ 1952 Great Britain.

CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner. 

1. WATERPROOF PANTS COMPRISING A MAIN SHEET OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL HAVING A FRONT PORTION, A REAR PORTION, AND A DISPOSABLE WAD HOLDING CRUTCH PORTION JOINING THE FRONT PORTION AND THE REAR PORTION; FASTENING MEANS FOR HOLDING TOGETHER THE SAID FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS WHEREBY THE PANTS MAY BE SECURED IN PLACE ON A WEARER; SLEEVES OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL EXTENDING ALONG THE THE SIDE MARGINS OF THE SAID CRUTCH PORTION; READILY COMPRESSIBLE PADS FITTED WITHIN THE SAID MARGINS; AND ELASTIC MEANS EXTENDING ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE SAID PADS. 